The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop First startup tip

I got my new engine set up last week, and started up for the first time (an awesome feeling) with the help of my neighbor (a professional drag race engine builder). He avoids a lot of problems by waiting to put gas through it until after he's hooked up a timing light and cranked it over enough to get close on the initial timing. That way you can avoid the backfires and make sure you've got a spark. We ran a LITTLE raw gas into the carb and it fired up immediately.

I am waiting for that "awesome feeling" with great anticipation. Congrads on a big step forward.

Hey Desert, I just noticed, where's your wife's car? You must be single to have the entire garage for your very own project!
Now if your actually married the rest of us want to know how you do it.

Betcha that motor sounds sweet! Can't beat the first fire up!
Nice !!!!
Hey BIG CHEVY! I built a garage just big enough for the 'Bolt' HER F*rd has to sit out in the weather!

I first experienced that thrill when I was 14 years old. My father gave me a 1950 GMC with a cracked block and told me I could drive the pickup to school if I build a motor. That was 50 years. Although most of the anxiety of whether it will run has gone away, but there is still a certain thrill when an engine first comes to life.

That's actually a second garage (my "Garage Mahal") so everybody's happy - one of those very rare win-win situations.

Crenwelge - You're right on point - even though the engine was built by Edelbrock, the anxiety in that last hour was overwhelming, but it caught the first time the starter was hit and the rest, as they say . . .

I will be starting mine someday and have been worrying about break-in on the engine. I have read how you should run the engine down the highway at certain speeds and all the other detail things needed to do to properly break in the engine.
I have planed on driving mine to the muffler shop and don't think I can get it on the highway at speeds before getting the exhaust installed. What's the facts on this break-in?

Most newly built engines do well with an initial cam break-in. You can do this in your driveway by running the engine at varied RPMs (use the throttle shaft to slowly decreas/increase RPM) for 15-20 minutes while watching oil/temp gauges to guard against low oil pressure and overheating. Be sure to look for leaks and listen for abnormal noises. If you're running cast iron rings this action will also help to properly seat the rings. However if you're running chrome-moly rings, usually ring seating will take a few miles of driving.

The instructions for my Edelbrock said that for the first 30 minutes, the engine should not go below 2000 rpm (vary it like dan76 says) and that the initial run-in should be uninterrupted. If you have a roller cam, this isn't necessary. You should also put in a bottle of GM E.O.S. (engine oil supplement - p/n 88862586) available at any GM dealer. After the run-in, let the engine cool down completely and throw a torque wrench at the head to make sure no head bolts came loose. After this, all you want to do is avoid running it at a constant rpm for any length of time for the first 500 miles.